


eyes are liquor (body is gold)

by j_gabrielle



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, M/M, Misunderstanding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-11 03:31:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17439119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_gabrielle/pseuds/j_gabrielle
Summary: "Oh, thank goodness you're here."James has barely time to blink before a squalling child, a girl, runs right into his shins the moment the door opens.





	eyes are liquor (body is gold)

"Oh, thank goodness you're here."

James has barely time to blink before a squalling child, a girl, runs right into his shins the moment the door opens. He picks her up, startling her out of her tantrum to level him with a curious baleful glare. The man who has opened the door has a toddler at his hip, a chocolate stained apron and a harried look in his blue eyes. 

"Thank you for coming in on such short notice," The man smiles tiredly, though none of that hides the fact that he is handsome. "I know you usually deal with our Val, but-" He stops, swallowing visibly. He rallies himself when the moment passes. He steps aside, jerking his head for James to come in. 

"I-" James tries. The girl pulls on his nose, laughing when he makes a sound of indignation. 

"Well, I can see why Val asked for you." The man chuckles. "Come on, I just put the kettle on."

The girl in his arms kicks her feet out and in a sweetly shrill voice, demands for 'horsey' to 'giddy-up'. Helpless, and not a little at loss for what to do, James steps through into the home. Immediately he is warmed by the smell of toffee and vanilla wafting from the kitchen, the sound of the morning news from the radio, and the happy babbling of the toddler as he is settled into his high chair.

"...really I just need someone to look after them for the afternoon while I run some errands..."

James looks over at the children's father; the way he briskly puts away the pots and pans, pulling out some snacks that were obviously for the children, before dropping two teabags into a pair of mugs to steep. The man was oblivious to the lost look in James' eyes, continuing on about his relief that James was here to take over the care of his children.

He casts an eye around the kitchen. This Val must've been the man's wife. Past tense, because what appears to be the most recent photo of the family together is not more than a year old and judging from the man's reaction at saying her name, her death must still be fresh.

He spies the correspondences on the dining table. Robert Lewis.

"I'll just be a few hours." The man, Robert, promises. His kind face turned to his son and daughter. James relinquishes the girl, where she climbs right into her father's arms. "Won't be long." He says, wrapping both her and her brother in a tight hug. James feels like he is intruding on a private family moment, looking away and only turning back the moment he hears the children's laughter ring in the air.

"Mr Lewis-" James tries.

"Robbie." Robert interjects with an amused huff. He crosses the room past him to the hall, taking a coat off the peg. 

"Robbie," James tries again. "I'm afraid-"

The doorbell rings and James bravely resists the urge to tear his hair out in frustration. "Ah, that'll be my cab." Robbie says, grabbing his keys. "What was it you needed to tell me? Is it urgent?"

James blinks and looks up right into Robbie's blue eyes, feeling his heart kick viciously in his chest. "N-No. It can wait." He stumbles a little. 

Robbie smiles gratefully, stepping close. He clasps James by the shoulder. "Thank you lad." He says softly. 

He stares, dumbfounded at the sight of Robbie's back disappearing out the door. He stands there, in the entranceway of this stranger's, for less than a minute before he hears the children raising hell in the kitchen.

Bracing himself, James walks back to them, mentally checking off the things one might do with children as young as this. This isn't the worst way to spend a Saturday, though he wonders how Robbie might take it if he told him that he was meant to be two doors down for a Grindr hookup, and that he really wasn't the nanny that Robbie was expecting.

**Author's Note:**

> Even the best parents have their off days. Ok? Ok.


End file.
